Murmur

MURMUR

Real Name: Michael Christian Amar

Class: Human mutant / technology-user

Occupation: Rogue, formerly surgeon

Group Affiliation: Rogues

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Keystone City, Kansas, Central City, Missouri

First Appearance: Flash: Iron Heights (2001)

Powers: Murmur’s main weapon was the frenzy virus, which ate away at the flesh of the throat and lungs, killing within 90 minutes. Murmur’s blood had unique antibodies that made him immune to frenzy as well as most any biological weapon or disease. He was armed with knives coated with the frenzy virus and his costume contained a number of weapons including inhalation anthrax capsules and syringes containing frenzy.

History: (Flash: Iron Heights) - <9 years ago> Dr. Amar was a respected surgeon, but he was driven into a frenzy by the sound of other people talking. He became a serial killer to silence people, and was suspected of murdering over fifty people and cutting out their tongues. Fred Chyre and Joe Jackam of the KCPD apprehended him. Forensic scientist Barry Allen testified against him at trial, and Amar couldn’t help but blurt out a confession during trial, leading to his conviction and imprisonment at Iron Heights. He was sentenced to die by lethal injection, but his unique blood made it impossible for the sentence to be carried out. He cut out his own tongue and sewed up his mouth so he would never incriminate himself again and was dubbed Murmur.

(Flash: Iron Heights) - Murmur unleashed the frenzy virus on the population of Iron Heights. Flash and Pied Piper investigated, and Murmur manage to infect Flash with frenzy. Flash cut open Murmur’s stitches in an effort to get him to talk, but learned that Murmur couldn’t. Flash brought a sample of Murmur’s blood to Jay Garrick, who made it into a vaccine for frenzy. Murmur still managed to escape the Heights with the help of Blacksmith and her Rogues. She told him in exchange for her help she expected him to join her group.

(Flash Secret Files #3) - The Rogues sent Murmur on a murderous rampage at radio stations KKEY and KKSS, using this as a cover to have Mirror Master set up mirror devices that would be activated by the radio stations. The mirrors would, when the time was right, set up a mirror around Keystone City that would cut it off from the outside world. Dr. Amar’s speech impediment first became obvious when he stuttered answering irate callers on medical call-in shows on KKEY and KKSS, and he never forgot his grudge. After his bloody attacks he was restrained by Flash, but escaped with help from Mirror Master.

(Flash II #183) - Murmur and the Rogues supervised one of Blacksmith’s Network sales of black-market merchandise.

(Flash II #184-188) - Murmur and the Rogues eliminated the last of Flash’s allies and demanded Flash have a showdown with them in Central City. Flash fought valiantly, but the Rogues soon had him on the run. He ran to Keystone, which had been taken over by the Thinker. Thinker and the Rogues both claimed Flash for themselves. Flash fled, and the Rogues pursued him. Mirror Master activated the reflection, a mirror that would keep the world unaware of their activities in Keystone. By the time the Rogues found Flash his mind had been taken over by the Thinker. Although the Rogues separated Flash from the Thinker, Keith Kenyon rescued Flash and brought him to safety before the Rogues could kill him. Blacksmith wanted the Rogues to regroup, and sent Murmur to look for Plunder. Murmur ran into Chyre and Morillo, who apprehended him.

(Flash II #192, 193) - Gorilla City gorillas tore apart the Heights and freed prisoners, including Murmur, in order to find Gorilla Grodd’s cell. Flash came to the Heights and was attacked by Murmur and the other freed villains. Their superior numbers had him beat when Gorilla Grodd appeared and claimed Flash for his own. Murmur and the others fled the prison.

(Flash II #217) - Murmur and the Rogues held a funeral for Captain Boomerang in Avernus.

(Flash II #218) - Murmur continued his murderous spree throughout Keystone. Heat Wave stopped him from murdering a young woman, but Murmur escaped capture due to Captain Cold’s interference.

(Flash II #222-225) - Top mind-controlled Murmur, Double Down, Girder, Plunder and Tar Pit to act as his Rogues, an then challenged Captain Cold for the leadership of the Rogues. Cold killed Top for causing issent among the Rogues while Top’s flunkies attacked Flash. Flash fought them off and knocked them out, but didn’t apprehend them because he had to deal with Zoom. Murmur and the others were saved from capture by Mirror Master, who opened mirror portals to provide an escape route.

Comments: Created by Geoff Johns & Ethan Van Sciver

Murmur received a profile in Flash Secret Files #3 under the Rogues entry.

Flash II #190, 195, 204, 213 an #220 showed pictures of at-large Rogues, including Murmur, in the KCPD squadroom.

Flash II #210 showed a mugshot of Murmur in the F.B.I. hq.

Murmur had a cameo in Flash II #216.